Travel in China: when to go, places and advice

A continent of a country spanning five thousand years of history and every landscape: the Great Wall rippling along the ridgelines, the sandstone pinnacles of Zhangjiajie, the rice terraces of the South, the deserts of the Silk Road and megacities reinventing the future. From the Forbidden City to the pandas of Chengdu, from the warriors of Xi'an to the sugarloaf karsts of Guilin, China travels like several countries in one, linked by a high-speed rail network without equal.

Capital: Beijing
Currency: Yuan renminbi (¥)
Language: Mandarin
Direct flight: ≈ 10 hr 30 from Paris
Time difference: +7 hr in winter, +6 hr in summer

Itineraries

Our trip ideas in China

The itineraries in China are in the works: the day-by-day programme, named hotels, tickets to book flagged in advance. Leave your address to be notified when they come out.

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The right season

When to go in China?

April-May and September-October are the two great windows: mild temperatures and clear skies over almost the whole country. Summer is hot, humid and rainy in the South and East, with the Chinese holiday crowds in July-August. Winter, harsh in the North, suits lovers of Beijing under snow and the ice festivals of Harbin. Avoid the October Golden Week, the entire country is travelling.

January : In-between
February : In-between
March : Pleasant
April : Ideal
May : Ideal
June : Pleasant
July : Avoid
August : Avoid
September : Ideal
October : Ideal
November : Pleasant
December : In-between

Ideal
Pleasant
In-between
Avoid

Quick guide

Understanding China

Getting around

High-speed rail links Beijing to Xi'an in 4 hr 30 and covers the whole country; book through Trip.com. In town, the metro is modern and cheap. Passport required for every train ticket.

Money

The yuan (¥), but the country has gone mobile-payment: activate WeChat Pay or Alipay with your foreign card on arrival, cash is becoming the exception.

Language

Mandarin, written in characters. English is rare outside international hotels: have your destinations written in characters and use your phone's photo translation.

Useful apps

WeChat and Alipay are essential (payment, taxis, bookings). Add Didi for ride-hailing, Trip.com for trains and hotels, and a VPN installed before departure if you want your usual apps.

Accommodation

From impeccable local chains to characterful hotels in the old mansions of Pingyao or the hutongs of Beijing. Check that the hotel accepts foreigners when booking.

Etiquette

Toast holding your glass lower than your elder's, receive business cards with both hands and keep your calm in all circumstances: losing face loses the argument.

The iconic places

Great Wall

Mutianyu

6,000 km of fortifications along the ridgelines. The Mutianyu section, restored and less busy than Badaling, is walked between watchtowers and forests.

Forbidden City

Beijing

980 buildings, 24 emperors, the largest palace in the world. Book online several days ahead, entry is capped.

Terracotta Army

Xi'an

8,000 clay soldiers standing in line for 2,200 years to guard the first emperor's tomb. One of the archaeological shocks of the century.

Li River

Guilin

The karst sugarloaves between Guilin and Yangshuo: drift down by boat or follow them by bike between rice paddies and buffalo.

Zhangjiajie

Hunan

Three thousand sandstone pillars in the mist, the inspiration for Avatar's floating mountains. A 326 m glass lift up the cliff face.

Chengdu Panda Base

Chengdu

The research centre where you watch giant pandas at close quarters. Come at opening time, they are active at breakfast.

Tap a dot, or browse the list below the map.

Forbidden City : The imperial palace of Beijing
Great Wall at Mutianyu : The most spectacular section near Beijing
Temple of Heaven : The Ming masterpiece in Beijing
Pingyao : Walled city of the Qing bankers, UNESCO
Terracotta Army : The 8,000 warriors of Xi'an
Panda Base : The giant pandas of Chengdu
Leshan Giant Buddha : 71 m carved into the cliff
Zhangjiajie : The sandstone pillars of Avatar
Yangshuo : The karsts of the Li River
The Bund : The Shanghai skyline
West Lake : The classical gardens of Hangzhou
Potala Palace : The former residence of the Dalai Lamas, Lhasa